Ten months down the line since I made my community my home. One of the things that had me both excited and terrified was being deployed to a new community. I did not know what to expect, and my guess was that the community members did not know either. In the back of my mind I always wondered if they would like me or accept me into their community, and luckily, they did! They always make me feel welcome into their homes and share with me their culture, experiences and happiness.​I have learnt so much about culture and tradition here that it still gets me excited. Every time I am around family and friends I always try to squeeze in a story or two about my community, hoping it will get them as excited as I am. I remember telling my sister about a traditional dance ritual done in my community known as Gule Wamkulu. She got so into the story and made me tell it to everyone we knew, even her workmates! Her enthusiasm made me so happy because it’s not just about the stories, but she is also very supportive and eager to hear what I have been up to with my community.

CorpsAfrica Volunteer with her sisters

​I have made so many younger friends here, both girls and boys. They teach me new things and make me experience some really great tastes too. I recently tried a new fruit called Jinkha, I don’t know the English name yet. It was so good, and apparently it is also commonly found in the small town I grew up in.

CorpsAfrica Volunteer with her friends showing off a fruit locally known as Jinkha

​I really have fun around the friends I have made. They try to keep me company and get me laughing, apparently so that I don’t leave even after I complete my yearlong service. One of the girls I am close to even offered me a place to stay at her house after my service so that I can continue teaching them at the school and hanging out with them.

CorpsAfrica Volunteer with her friends

​I only have less than 3 months left here and it feels like such a short period to get everything done. I need to come up with a bucket list and do it all. I hope to make more friends and experience as many new things as I can. Especially if I will be squeezing my community experiences into conversations, I will need a bag full of them, right?

Today I'll share about the chat I had with an elderly man at the big trading center in my community. I had gone to buy a few things because it was market day and we just ended up talking about everything. As all conversations go with new people here, he asked where I stay and what I do. I explained that I am a Volunteer who is facilitating change, and then we went into a discussion about that. He asked how we choose the projects we implement as Volunteers and I clarified that the community decides what projects to do because they need to own the project themselves.

He expressed how disappointed he is with his community. That they have potential to develop, but nobody wants to do anything about it. He also said that individually people are living comfortable lives, but communities still aren't developing as a whole.

He gave an example of a man who bought two cars to be used as taxis and bought another two the following year but couldn't mobilize the community to fix the big road which stems from the M1. I told him that from my experience it is usually easier to mobilize a small group - giving him the example of one village rather than several villages - and that maybe he should start small.

​As we were talking, the topic of politics was also brought up. As we are approaching our election year next year, parties and individuals are intensifying their campaigns. He blamed himself and his people for persuading the rural communities to vote for his party through giving out maize, fertilizer, etc. He also gave his thoughts on the aspirants, but at the end of the day we couldn't say how we could stop this problem or have people refuse to be bribed into voting for politicians.

I have noticed how this way of campaigning cripples development programs first hand because this behavior feeds the dependency syndrome. But how should we change such mindsets that are deeply rooted in people?

As I was closer to going back home, he asked if anyone could apply to be a Volunteer with CorpsAfrica and I told him that CorpsAfrica is looking for Malawians who have experience, education, integrity, and a passion to create change. He was happy that this program was very close to his community and hopes it inspires young people to volunteer and facilitate change in the future. I was so happy to have met a stranger who was passionate about developing his community and nation. He opened my eyes to the potential that the people have and reminded me of why I chose to volunteer ten months ago.

Putting together a female empowerment camp for 190 girls certainly is no walk in the park, but last week 25 amazing young leaders - made up of CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteers, Peace Corps Malawi Volunteers, and community members - pulled it off! For three days at Tukombo Girls Secondary School the female campers discussed topics related to their health, their rights, their bodies, and how they can spread these important messages to their friends. Watch this video - put together by Exchange Volunteer Mostafa - to see just what happened during the camp!

I volunteer at a local secondary school in my community and as the form four graduation was fast approaching I was approached to take care of the decoration for the event. Coming together with the GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Club, we made decoration items for the event from waste plastic bottles and pieces of chitenje.

It was fun doing this with the girls and they were very excited to learn some skills on how they can reuse waste plastics in their community. Most of the girls showed interest to make artistic items from the plastic waste and I shared some videos on this topic with them. I believe this will be a fun way of managing the problem of poor plastic waste management in my community and surrounding areas.

How do we find ourselves? We do so by going "within." We get to know ourselves first and then we get to know others. We understand how we are made and how others are made, and then we learn about their lives, we live it, and become a part of the community.

As a volunteer I understand my community, what it is, and how it works. From that I explore, learn and live it. For quite a long time during my service in Mzimba I thought I was just going to help my community develop, I thought it was my job to always think of development on a bigger scale, help a lot of people and be responsible for a bigger change.

Although I have been successful with some of the projects I’ve implemented with my community members, some have not turned out quite as I expected. I sat down one day and thought to myself why some projects or proposed ones turned out the way they did. I had to explore and learn from my mistakes, and even change the approach.

Every time my community’s Village Development Committee (VDC) and I wanted to do something, we thought big. We were always thinking of helping five villages or more.

During one of the recent meetings with my VDC, which I called to discuss other potential projects, the problem was still the same - they were thinking only of the big projects. After hearing what kind of projects they wanted to bring to their community I asked them some questions.

“How many here have children in primary school upper classes and in secondary school who know how to use a computer?” I asked. To my surprise, all five members of the VDC present at that meeting that day responded by saying that their children do not know how to use a computer. With that response I proposed a small project for them; have five of their children come to my house for a few hours so I could help and teach them how to use a computer. Immediately a project was born.

From this I learnt a lot. You do not need to have a building built, bring a clinic, or do something for the whole community, for you to know you’re making a difference in a person’s life. I believe starting small and using your knowledge well to help others will change someone’s life little by little. With the knowledge I have in computers I believe I will help some fine young men and women to obtain the same knowledge I received in college and I know they will not be the same again.

Impacting someone’s life comes in different ways and I have chosen to give all I can to help my community. I believe this is how I can give back to the community that is taking care of me on a daily basis. One person at a time and change will come eventually. I am the young person this community has been waiting for.

Recent meeting with VDC where the idea generated

Members of VDC whose children will benefit from computer lessons

Group Village Head Malizweni in the middle and Abraham (member of VDC) and myself

Living in a community with people of different cultures and beliefs can be tricky. The secret to making it work and not feeling like an outsider is to adapt. Blend in like that chameleon. Find that person in the community that is always there asking you questions and making sure that you do not feel out of place. Yes, that woman or man who keeps coming to your house and constantly asking you if you’re alright. That one is your angel in disguise. Well, at least for me she is.

This month I would like to gloat about my amazing neighbor. Not everyone was as lucky as I was to meet such a beautiful soul. At first, I thought she was bothering me by always checking up on me all the time, but then I realized that she was trying to make my transition easier. So, I opened my arms and embraced her kindness and boy did it pay off. She has taught me a lot of things I did not know. We basically do a lot of things together. Some of the things she has taught me is the language used in my community. My community speaks Chichewa mixed with Chisenga. When I first got there I wouldn’t understand anything. I asked her to teach me the basic words and 6 months down the line I actually understand most of it. Some of the words I learned in Chisenga are:

Mwachomatyani,meaning how are you

Tachoma bwino, which means I am fine

Zungo,meaning noise​

My neighbor is practically my best friend in the community. She has shown me how she keeps her family together as well as used farming as her main source of income. This woman works so hard it’s impressive. From going to the farm in the early morning, to fetching water, doing household chores and preparing food, and it’s all done before noon. She grows maize, beans, soybeans, sunflower and groundnuts. I did say she was impressive right?

When I was going through the most difficult moment of my service she was there for me. I confided in her and she was there for me. She offered to stay with me so that I did not feel alone. As thoughts of quitting crept in my head, she reminded me of why I was here in the first place and gave me reasons why leaving at that time was not the best idea. I gambled with myself on whether I should quit or continue with my service. With her hand pulling me out of that lake so that I should not drown, I realized that my time was not yet up. I got back up, and slowly with her help, I was back on my feet.​My neighbor has grown on me and I know my service would have been difficult if it wasn’t for her. Through thick and thin we’ve been there for each other. I found me a gem!

While in the past it would take generations, now it is a common phenomenon to be hit by dry spells every couple of years. Apparently, experts say that it is due to climate change and according to them it is a very challenging thing to fight or reverse. Climate change has caused many to suffer from food and water shortages and others health problems. However, viable solutions are being implemented from all sectors, at all levels, and in different approaches. But what is my community doing about it? Meet the Kachindamoto Food Bank.​Built in the year 2008 with the help from The Hunger Project Malawi (THP). The food bank was designed to reach 38,000 people in the catchment area consisting of 28 villages. It is the backbone for the community's nutrition and a source of economy for the Epicentre. But how does it operate? Who runs it? What are its successes and challenges? Well, in search for these answers I had a chat with one prominent member of the food bank committee. She quenched my curiosity in a 10 minute interview summarized below.

Me: So, tell me about yourself.Elube: I am Elube Phiri from group village Sunduzeni. I hold the position of vice treasurer in the committee for the food bank.

Me: Why did you build the Food bank and who's idea was it?Elube: It was built by the community with help from THP. Back in 2006 the T/A Kachindamoto instructed two village head men to mold bricks for development works in the community. The exercise took two years and then construction of the Epicentre commenced. The food bank you see is one of the buildings making the Epicentre.

Me: How do you do your work? Elube: Well, due to food shortages we have been facing in the past, THP came to us with a solution. It was agreed that farmers be provided with farm inputs, particularly fertilizers. In return we pay part of our produce (maize) to the Epicentre. The food bank is what houses the grains collected from around the two communities. So, if one gets a bag of fertilizer he/she is expected to pay back nine bags of maize to the food bank. The maize is treated so that it is protected from weevils and other common grain insects. In times of need, the maize is sold back to the community at a cheaper price. The revenue generated is used to purchase farm inputs for the next growing season.

Me: Who runs it?Elube: The food bank is run by dedicated volunteers. The community selects individuals that have undoubtedly good leadership skills.

Me: What are your successes and challenges so far?Elube: We have been able to survive on our own during times of food shortages because of this food bank. Inside it we can keep over 50 metric tons. So far, the big challenge is the amount of space we have for storage. This restricts us to focusing on maize only; I wish we had the capacity to store other grains like rice and beans. Another challenge is that not all people are able to pay back the debt in full. But anyway, that is always expected.

Me: It was nice having a chat with you Mrs. Phiri.Elube: Thank you Alangizi (Supervisor).

That is how my brief interview with Mrs. Elube Phiri, the food bank vice treasurer went.

The month is June. A cold season in most parts of Malawi and along the shores of Lake Malawi, often deemed as the goldmine of the lakeshore people. It is this season of the year that the fishing industry booms. At my site in Nkhata Bay District, businessmen from all parts of the country have flocked here to patronise this season. The most common type of fish caught include usipa, batala, bombe and chambo.​If you go to the lake at any time of the day you will see fishermen loading off fish on the shores and a lot of business people bargaining prices. On a good day, a local fisherman makes MWK 250,000 which is about (340$). On the shores you will see a lot of fishing racks that are used to dry the fish, especially usipa. The fishing business in my community has helped to uplift many peoples’ lives and alleviated poverty of those people in the process. Many people have fishing boats, which they use to catch the fish for their own businesses, while others prefer to rent out their boats to business men who pay the boat owners a certain commission depending on the catch.

A woman from Lilongwe poses with her Usipa rack

The fishing racks used to dry fish

​Due to many fishing activities taking place around my community, Recognizing Individual Potential and Promoting Local Education in Africa (Ripple), a local organization, has introduced fishing by-laws designed to curb overfishing and conserve fish species in Lake Malawi. The project is being funded by this United Kingdom registered charity, whose focus is to work towards the improvement of local education, healthcare, and the environment in Malawi. The by-laws are under the organization’s fish conservation project, which aims to protect stocks in Nkhata Bay by making communities along the lake shore understand the problems and solutions concerning fish stocks.

My first thought of my community eight months ago was, "this is the middle of nowhere." This was because it is far from what you and I know to be a normal community. My community is, or was, what most describe as an area "forgotten" by the government of Malawi. ​The infamous Embangweni area is roughly seven kilometers from Emchakachakeni, but the difference among education structures in these communities is appalling. Embangweni has eight well-funded schools (funded by the CCAP mission and the government of Malawi), while Emchakachakeni on the other hand has a primary school with dirt floors and community day secondary school (CDSS) without decent accommodation for teachers, any type of laboratory and no library. The CDSS is a small school, with two blocks and an office, but does have a beautiful basketball court donated by National Basketball Association Africa. This school serves 98 villages in Emchakachakeni, Thoza, and many other areas.

It was not hard to start serving in my community because everyone had already agreed that the two schools needed intervention way before I was placed in the community. So far, I have worked on two projects with the two schools in my community. The first project is the construction of four teachers' houses for both the primary and secondary school. Two of the four houses are almost ready for teachers to move in. The second project I am working on is a make-shift solar library for the secondary school. Emchakachakeni has no ESCOM power, with few households that can afford solar power. My project aimed to install solar power at the school so that students have light to study in the evening. Even though there is no structure for a library, the community identified a classroom block as an asset that could be used as a library after school hours, and now the students are currently using solar power to study for their MSCE exams.

People outside Emchakachakeni have now started paying attention to the transformation in the community. Recently Emchakachakeni hosted a sports tournament with five schools participating. The large crowd in attendance was amazed by the solar power and the beautiful teachers' houses at the school. They asked and found out CorpsAfrica is working with Emchakachakeni community and now they want their own CorpsAfrica Volunteer in their community. For what used to be the middle of nowhere, Emchakachakeni is now the middle of somewhere.